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Shakespeare-Bacon 



MRS. D. C. DODGE 



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'For what a man had rather " 

'Were true, he more readOy believes." 
— Francis Bacon 




DENVER. COLORADO 
1916 



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FROM THE DROESHOUT PRINT. 

The Original Eng^ravins Was Preflxt To the First Great Folio 

Edition of the Shakespeare Plays Issued in 1623. 




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To the Reader 

This figure that thou here seest put 

It was for gentle Shakespeare cut; 

Wherein the Graver had a strife 

With Nature, to out-doo the life; 

O, could he but have drawne his wit 

As well in brasse, as he has hit 

His face; the Print would then surpasse 

All, that was ever writ in brasse. 

But, since he cannot. Reader, looke 

Not on his Picture, but his Booke. 

B.I. 



Shakespeare — Bacon 

MRS. D. C. DODGE 

In this article I endeavor to state briefly: 

1st. Origin of doubts of authorship. 

2nd. Some names of doubters and Baconians. 

3rd. Facts about the Actor Shakespere's life. 

4th. Historical facts about Francis Bacon. 

5th. Part of the cipher story of Francis Bacon. 

6th. Quotations of men who knew Bacon and his own 
reason for not disclosing his authorship of the plays. 



Who Wrote the Shakekpeafe Plays? 

This question has interested the readers of all cultured 
nations for many years. The louder one cries "It was he," 
the more energetically the cry returns, "It was some other." 

But how could the question arise, anyway? Has it not 
been answered from the beginning, Shakespere wrote 
Shakespeare ? 

The modem reader thinks the question is easily an- 
swered, by showing the title page of his edition of Shakes- 
peare, for in all modern editions one finds the name William 
Shakespeare. But it has not always been so. From the 
year 1591 there appeared in London numerous plays which 
now bear the name William Shakespeare, but which at 
that time were anonymous. In 1598 the name first appeared 
on some of these plays. In the years between 1591 and 
1598 there appeared not less than ten plays, King John, 
Eomeo and Juliet, etc., etc., all without any name. So 
dramas appeared, some anonymously, and some with Shake- 
speare's name, till the year 1616, when the Actor Shake- 
spere died. 

In 1623, seven years after his death, the Folio edition 
of the plajs appeared with Shakespeare's name. This con- 
tains thirty-six plays, fifteen of which had never been 
printed, and the majority of the rest were greatly enlarged 
and improved. It is a fact that Shakespere recognized 
])ut seventeen of the plays during his lifetime by attaching 
his name to them, that about a half dozen appeared anony- 
mously and remained anonymous, and that seven years after 
the actor's death, fifteen entirely new plays appeared, and 
at that time, 1623, the anonymous and new plays first ap- 
peared with Shakespeare's name.* Hence tlie matter is 
not so simple as the modern reader would like to believe. 

For years a cloud of mystery surrounded the works 
of the poet, and after the appearance of the later quarto edi- 
tions, as well as of the 1623 Folio, the mystery still remained. 

Look closely at the picture from the Folio. You will 
notice that the face is a mash, with no expression, and that 



♦These statements are taken from Bormann and are about the same as 
DurninK-Lawrence's. Tn the Bi-literal Cipher, p. 166, we read "Francis of 
Verulam Is author of all the plays heretofore published by Marlowe, Greene, 
Peele, Shakespeare, and of the two-and-twenty now put out for the first 
time." (Deciphered from 1623 Folio.) 

F. St. A. 



the line where .tlie ma;3|r joins the ''figure" is easily seen. 
The coat is made up of the front of one right sleeve and 
the bach of another right sleeve, so the whole is simply a 
dummy figure. 

Notice also the Ben Jonson doggerel. 



To the Reader 

This Figure that thou here seest put 

111 
a a Si 

It was for gentle Shakespeare cut; 
2 1 1 

b a a 

Wherein the Graver had a strife 
1 13 

a a c 

With Nature, to out-doo the life; 

4 
d 

0, could he but have drawne his wit 
11 a 

As well in brasse, as he has hit 
a a 

His face; the Print would then surpasse 
5 1 aa 1 la 

e 

All, that was ever writ in brasse. 
a 1 1 a al 

But, since he cannot, Eeader, looke 
la 1 1 11 

Not on his Picture, but his Booke. 
a aaa aaaaa 



1. Begin with the first Fy take first r which follows, 
and so on; we then read: Francis Bacon, His Booke. 

2. Begin with the second F in same way, we read: 
Francis Bacon, His Booke. 

3. Begin with the third F, etc., Francis Bacon, His 
Booke. 

4. Begin with the fourth F, etc., Francis Bacon, His 
Booke. 

5. Begin with the fifth F, etc., Francis B., His Booke. 
Again — 

A. Begin with first F and read Francis Saint Albans, 
His Booke. 

B. Begin with second F and read Francis Saint Al- 
bans, His Booke. 

C. Begin with third F and read Francis Saint Alb, His 
Booke. 

D. Begin with the fourth F and read Francis Saint Alb, 
His Booke. 

E. Begin with fifth F and read Francis, His Booke. 

This is a progressive anagram which contains the au- 
thor's name ten times. Can this be chance? I think not. 

Notice also the line : ' * could he but have drawn his 
wit." The same thought in Latin is printed on one of the 
earliest miniature pictures of Francis Bacon. Note also 
the last sentence: *' Reader, looke not on his picture, but 
his booke." I know of no advice, in any sentence in any 
language which has been followed so completely. The 
whole world has looked on "his booke," and has, for cen- 
turies taken every fine trait of character found therein, 
and putting all together, has formed the mental picture 
of an ideal man, giving it the name William Shakespeare. 

Having so long thought of Shakespere in this way, 
without paying attention to known facts regarding the 
actor, what wonder that, at first, most people resent any 
intimation that Shakespere was not wonderful, and could 
not have written the plays. 

The name Shake-spearc, was tlie pen name of Francis 
Bacon, made enough like the actor's name to conceal 



Bacon's identity. Look further at the poems, at the be- 
ginning of tlie Folio, whicli are never found in modern 
editions. Ben Jonson wrote some, if not all of these. 

In the longest one, which, if read carefully, is difficult 
to understand except as referring partly to Bacon, partly 
to the actor, and as being a veiled joke all through, we 
find the lines : 

"To live again, to hear thy buskins tread, 
And shake a stage; or when thy socks were on. 
Leave thee alone for the comparison 
Of all, that insolent Greece or haughty Rome 
Sent forth, or since did from their ashes come." 

A few years later, when both the actor and Bacon were 
dead, Ben Jonson, in his "Discoveries," writes of tlie wiU 
of Queen Elizabeth's time. He mentions the Earl of Essex, 
Sir Walter Raleigh, Lord Edgerton and several others, but 
Shakespere's name is not mentioned in the list. He closes 
with Francis Bacon, saying: ''It is he who has filled all 
numbers* and done that in our tongue which may be com- 
pared or preferred to insolent Greece or haughty Rome. 
* * * He may be named and stand as the mark and 
acme of our language." 

In the first half of the 18th Century, that is, a little more 
than a hundred years after Shakespere's death, the first 
doubts as to authorship of the plays came to light. Since 
then doubters have increased, till now the task of mention- 
ing their names would be a great one. T will, however, 
give a few. Lord Byron was a doubter; Disraeli wrote 
in 1837, ''And vrho is Shakespere? Did he write half the 
plays attributed to him? Did he write one single play? I 
doubt it!" Lord Palmerston and Edwin Reed, not only 
doubted, but wrote strong books giving their reasons for 
doubting. John Bright wrote. "Anyone who believes that 
Shakespere wrote Lear or Hamlet is a fool." 

Gladstone, Coleridge, Henry Ilallam were all doubters. 
Our own Emerson, James Russell Lowell and Benjamin 
Butler doubted, and Whittier wrote, "Whether Bacon 
wrote the wonderful plays or not, I am very sure that the 
man Shakespere neither did nor could. ' ' 

In Germany too we find many doubters; Goethe, Heine, 
Nitsche, Liliencron, among them. Bormann has written 
several able books claiming Bacon as the author. A librar- 
ian of the Royal Libraiy in Stuttgart said once before a 

♦Ben Jonson defines POETRY as "expressing the life of man in fit 
measu;.'e, NIJMBERS and harmony." 



large audience, ' ' You people may smile, but I tell you with 
absolute couviction that in lii'ty years no educated person 
or one capable of forming an opinion will believe that the 
butcher boy of Stratford wrote the plays or sonnets." 

Mark Twain wrote a delightful book, "Is Shakespeare 
Dead." But notwithstanding his own doubts, he says in 
his characteristic way, that it will probably be the year 
2209 before Shakespere can be thrown from his pedestal. 

1 have given those names to show that there have been 
and are many intelligent, educated — yes, very noted people 
among Baconians, and one need not blush to be called by 
that name, even tliough it is not yet a popular name. 

The more one honestly tries to learn facts about the 
actor Shakespere, the more certain one becomes that he 
could not have been the author of the plays; and on the 
other hand, the more one learns of the life and works of 
Francis Bacon, the more one admires him and is obliged 
to confess that the knowledge and attributes he possessed, 
his knowledge of natural science, philosophy, ethics, law, 
medicine, psychology — all these are exactly reflected in the 
Shakespeare plays. 

Miss Delia Bacan was the first to lift the veil of Bacon- 
ian authorship. She was a cultured, finely educated Ameri- 
can teacher. Emerson was greatly impressed with her ideas 
and gave her letters to friends in England, but when she 
presented her arguments to these English people, she was 
treated with scorn and ridicule that broke her heart. Since 
her time, 1856, hundreds of books and thousands of pam- 
phlets have been written for and against the Baconian 
authorship. 

Ignatius Donnelly's name is probably better known 
than any other author of Baconian literatui'e, though he 
was advertised largely through ridicule. He sought to find 
the cipher which Mrs. Gallup later discovered, but failed 
to realize that the cipher is only in the italicized words 
of the original editions. He did find a lesser cipher and 
discovered pai*t of Bacon's story. 

Mrs. Henry Pott, an English woman with a large family 
of children, published "The Promus of Fonnularies and 
Elegancies" in 1883. The MSS. form a part of the Harlean 
collection in the British Museum. These are nearly all in 
Bacon's handwriting and seem to have been kept by him 
as a sort of commonplace book, filled with brief forms of 
expression, phrases, proverbs, quotations, etc., which, 
though they do not appear in Bacon's recognized works, do 



appear with wonderful distinctness in the Shakespeare Plays. 
Mrs. Pott also made a systematic study of parallel phrases 
and sentences on many subjects from Bacon's recognized 
works and the plays. She had three thousand headings, 
illustrating them with about thirty thousand quotations. 
Donnelly used these parallelisms largely in his book "The 
Great Cryptogram. ' ' This is a far more scholarly book than 
most people, who have not read it, suppose it to be. 

Let us return to the few known facts about Shakes- 
pere. He was baptized at Stratford-on-Avon, April 26, 1564, 
was licensed to marry Anne Hathaway, November 28, 1582, 
and their daughter, Susanna, was born May 26, 1583. On 
February 2, 1584, twins were born to them. Nothing more is 
known of Shakespere till 1592, when his name is parodied 
in London as Shake— scene, in Greene's "Groatsworth of 

Wit." 

As to his education, all facts are wanting. Perhaps he 
went to school and it may he that some Latin was taught 
in the school. He may have been in a lawyer's office, but 
there is no proof that he was. As to his stay in London, 
little is known, though Dr. and Mrs. Wallace, after going 
through about three million documents, found something 
about a place where he boarded for a time. He was an actor 
and played minor parts like the Ghost in Hamlet. Later 
he became part owner of a theatre and returned to Stratford 
in the prime of life, buying New Place in 1597. After that 
he had money, and there are many records of loans he 
made and lawsuits he had, to collect such loans, between 
1598 and the time of his death, in 1616. But that he ever 
sent any manuscripts to London, had any literary corres- 
pondence with anyone, a poet, an actor, a publisher; that 
he ever wrote a letter to anyone; that he had a library or 
even one book— all this cannot be proven. In his will, made 
in 1616 he mentions no manuscripts, books or anything of 
the kind, though he does speak of his "second best bed." 

His five signatures are all different, and quite likely 
were written by the lawyer who made his will. Neither of 
his daughters could write. When he died, not a word was 
written by anyone lamenting his death or mentioning his 
works. Truly a strange thing if he were really the author of 
the most wonderful plays ever written! 

Now let us turn to Francis Bacon, first speaking of 
his life as it is known in history. He was born in 1561, 
three years before Shakespere; was remarkably brilliant, 
so that when very young he attracted the notice of Queen 



Elizabeth. She visited Sir Nicholas and Lady Anne Bacon 
often, both of whom were unusually intelligent and finely 
educated; and she often saw Francis and had him with her, 
calling- him her "Little Lord Keeper." When between 
twelve and thirteen years of age, he was sent to Cambridge 
University and remained about three years, having in that 
time gained all that could be learned there, and criticising 
the methods of teaching used, especially those used in teach- 
ing philosophy. When about sixteen he was sent to France 
with the English Embassador, Sir Ainyas Paulet, and re- 
mained on the continent between two and three years. 
("Love's Labor Lost" tells something of these years.) He 
spoke and wrote French well, knew Latin, Greek, Spanish 
and Italian. He was recalled to England on the death of 
Sir Nicholas Bacon, who in his will left him practically 
nothing. 

The Queen insisted that he study law in Gray 's Inn, and 
he did so, though he himself says that he preferred literary 
work. In a letter, written when about thirty, he says, "I 
have taken all knowledge to be my provence."* 

Elizabeth consulted him often, but never gave him any 
position of importance, though he and his friends urged her 
to do so. Rol3ert Cecil was always his enemy and by his 
influence over the Queen, kept Bacon from receiving any 
position of trust. To Buckingham Bacon writes, ' ' I recom- 
mend unto you principally that which has never been done 
since I was born, * * * that you countenance and en- 
courage and advance able men in all kinds and degrees and 
professions. For in the time of- the Cecils, the father and 
son, able men were, by design and of purpose, suppressed. ' ' 

As Bacon had been brought up in luxury and always 
had extravagant tastes, it was a great trial for him to be 
poor. He was often in debt, and his brother Anthony sev- 
eral times helped him to pay his debts. (Remember this 
the next time you read of Antonio and Bassanio in "Mer- 
chant of Venice.") 

During the years when the plays were appearing, Bacon 
had no position and was not known to be busy. He was 
in Gray's Inn and wrote a few masks for festivals and 
helped the "Children of the choir," in producing these 
masks. In Dr. William Rawley's memoir of Bacon, he men- 
tions his wonderful industry and the great rapidity with 
which he worked. Is it not natural to suppose that he did 

•In somo editions of Bacon's works the word PROVIDENCE is used 
and perhaps correctly. 



work at this time and sell his literary work to increase his 
scanty income? In his letters he speaks of his ' ' good pens, ' ' 
and asks a friend to send work for them, even tho' it be 
only translation, so he must have been working or he would 
not have needed helpers. His philosophical works were 
all written much later, after he was forty years old. 

After James I ascended the throne, Bacon rose rapidly 
from one position to another, till he finally became Lord 
Chancellor. This position he held four years, losing it in 
1621. 

Two events in Bacon's life are misunderstood by most 
people who have not made a careful study of them. Sped- 
ding, Montagu, and William Hepworth Dixon give a correct 
idea of these events, but most of us have obtained our 
notions of the Essex trial and so-called bribery case from 
Pope and Macaulay. Pope's sentence, ''The wisest, bright- 
est, meanest of mankind," was enlarged into an essay by 
that marvelous writer of English prose, Macaulay. I have 
read that Bacon was a Eosicrucian, and that the word 
"meanest" is commonly used by that order, in the sense 
of humblest or lowliest ''The wisest, brightest, lowliest of 
mankind," seems to me quite in keeping with Bacon's char- 
acter. 

Macaulay wrote his essay while in India and as in many 
of his works, was none too careful about investigating that 
which he stated as fact. 

With regard to the Essex trial, Spedding says. 
Bacon's "conduct was much misunderstood at the time, by 
persons who had no means of knowing the truth, and has 
been much misrepresented since by writers who cannot plead 
that excuse," and adds, "I may say for myself that I have 
no fault to find with Bacon for any part of his conduct 
toward Essex, and I think many people will agree with me 
when they see the case fairly stated." 

In the other trial, no hrihes were received by Bacon. At 
that time every one took fees, from the King to the hum- 
blest servant. Bacon was one of the first to protest against 
the custom, but with a large establishment to maintain and 
practically no salary or pay from the government, he did 
what every office holder did, he accepted gifts. 

Buckingham, the King's favorite, wanted his office to 
sell, as all offices were bought and sold at this time (tho' 
Bacon was an exception, as he did not pay a penny for 

his office.) 

Coke, Cranfield, Churchill, Williams and others plotted 

10 



to take the seal from Bacon. His trial was a farce. The 
King had a private interview with him, advised him to 
throw himself upon his mercy, and not proceed with the 
trial, knowing there was too much scandal involved. 

Bacon was ill, was over sixty years old, was anxious 
to give his time to literary work, so he followed the I-Qng's 
advice. His fine of forty thousand pounds was forgiven 
him, and he spent two days and one night in the Tower. In 
these brave words he speaks of his case, "I was the justest 
judge in England these fifty years, but it was the justest 
censure that was in Parliament these two hundred years." 

To King James he wrote, "I wish that as 1 am the first, 
so I may be the last of sacrifices in your times, and when 
from private appetite it is resolved that a creature shall 
be sacrificed, it is easy to pick up sticks enough from any 
thicket, whither it hath strayed, to make a fire to offer 

it with." 

Of about seven thousand verdicts which he rendered 
during the four years he was Lord Chancellor, not one was 
reversed. He lived to see all his enemies in disgrace, but 
no word of exultation passed his lips. 

In Edwin Bormann's book, "The Shakespeare Poet. 
Who Was He? and How Did He Look?" he says: /'In 
the play Henry VHI, which could not have been written 
before 1621, and which first appeared in the 1623 Folio, 
the fall of Wolsey is not represented according to historical 
facts. Two noblemen of high rank were sent to Wolsey to 
demand the great seal from him. Four men were sent to 
Bacon when the seal was taken from him and these four 
])ore the same names as those appearing in Act HI, Scene 
II of the Play. " About the middle of the scene we find: 

"Re-enter the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, the Earl of Surrey 
and the Lord Chamberlain. 

NORFOLK. Hear the King's pleasure, Cardinal; who commands 

you 

To render up the great seal presently 

Into our hands; 

* * * 

WOLSEY. Stay; 

Where's your commission, lords? Words cannot carry 
Authority so weighty. 

SUF. Who dare cross 'em. 

Bearing the King's will from his mouth expressly? 

WOL. 

Till I find more than will or words to do it — 
I mean your malice — know, officious lords, 
I dare and must deny it. Now I feel 

11 



Of what coarse metal ye are moulded — envy; 

How eagerly ye follow my disgrace, 

As if it fed ye! and how sleek and wanton 

Ye appear in everything may bring my ruin! 

Follow your envious courses, men of malice; 

You've Christian warrant for 'em, and, no doubt. 

In time will find their fit rewards. That seal, 

You ask with such a violence, the King — 

Mine and your master — with his own hand gave me; 

Bade me enjoy it, with the place and honours. 

During my life; and, to confirm his goodness, 

Tied it by letters patent: — now, who'll take it? 

SUR. The King, that gave it. 

WOL. It must be himself, then, 

SUR. Thou'rt a proud traitor, priest. 

* * * 

SUF. Lord Cardinal, the King's further pleasure is — 
Because all those things you have done of late, 

* :|< * 

That therefore such a writ be su'd against you; 
To forfeit all your goods, lands, tenements. 
Chattels, and whatsoever, and to be 
Out of the King's protection — this is my charge. 

NOR. And so we'll leave you to your meditations 
How to live better. For your stubborn answer 
About the giving back the great seal to us. 
The King shall know it, and, no doubt, shall thank you. 
So, fare you well, my little-good Lord Cardinal. 

(Exeunt all but Wolsey.) 

WOL. So, farewell to the little good you bear me. 
Farewell, a long farewell to all my greatness! 
This is the state of man; today he puts forth 
The tender leaves of hope; tomorrow blossoms. 
And bears his blushing honours thick upon him; 
The third day comes a frost, a killing frost, 
And — when he thinks, good easy man, full surely 
His greatness is a-ripening — nips his root, 
And then he falls, as I do. I have ventur'd, 
Like little wanton boys that swim on bladders, 
These many summers in a sea of glory; 
But far beyond my depth: my high-blown pride 
At length broke under me; and now has left me. 
Weary and old with service, to the mercy 
Of a rude stream, that must forever hide me. 
Vain pomp and glory of this world, I hate ye; 
I feel my heart new open'd. O, how wretched 
Is that poor man that hangs on princes' favours! 
There is, betwixt that smile we would aspire to. 
That sweet aspect of princes, and their ruin, 
More pangs and fears than wars or women have; 
And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer, 
Never to hope again — 

(Enter Cromwell, amazedly.) 

Why, how now, Cromwell? 

CROM. I have no power to speak, sir. 

12 



WOL. What, amaz'd 

At my misfortunes? can thy spirit wonder 
A great man should decline? Nay, and you weep, 
I'm fallen indeed. 

CROM. How does your Grace? 

WOL. Why, well; 

Never so truly happy, my good Cromwell. 
I know myself, now; and 1 feel within me 
A peace above all earthly dignities, 

A still and quiet conscience. The King has cur'd me, 
I humbly thank his Grace; and from these shoulders, 
These ruin'd pillars, out of pity, taken 
A load would sink a navy — too much honour. 
O, 'tis a burden, Cromwell, 'tis a burden 
Too heavy for a man that hopes for Heaven! 

CROM. I'm glad your Grace has made that right use of it! 

WOL. I hope I have: I'm able now, methinks — 
Out of a fortitude of soul I feel — 
T' endure more miseries and greater far 
Than my weak-hearted enemies dare offer. 
What news abroad? 

CROM. The heaviest and the worst 

Is your displeasure with the King. 

WOL. God bless him! 

CROM. The next is,* that Sir Thomas More is chosen 
Lord Chancellor in your place. 

WOL. That's somewhat sudden; 

But he's a learned man. 

4: * * 

Go, get thee from me, Cromwell; 
I am a poor fall'n man, unworthy now 
To be thy lord and master; seek the King; 
That sun, I pray, may never set! I've told him 
What and how true thou art: he will advance thee. 
Some little memory of me will stir him — 
I know his noble nature — not to let 
Thy hopeful service perish too: good Cromwell, 
Neglect him not; make use now, and provide 
For thine own future safety. 

CROM. O my lord, 

Must, I then, leave you? must I needs forego 
So good, so noble, and so true a master. 
Bear witness, all that have not hearts of iron. 
With what a sorrow Cromwell leaves his lord. 
The King shall have my service; but my prayers 
For ever and for ever shall be yours, 

WOL. Cromwell, I did not think to shed a tear 
In all my miseries; but thou hast forc'd me, 
Out of thy honest truth, to play the woman. 
Let's dry our eyes: and thus far hear me, Cromwell; 
And — when I am forgotten, as I shall be. 
And sleep in dull cold marble, where no mention 
Of me more must be heard of — say, I taught thee, 
Say (Bacon) — that once trod the ways of glory, 

13 



And sounded all the depths and shoals of honour — 

Found thee a way, out of his wreck, to rise in; 

A sure and safe one, though thy master miss'd it. 

Mark but my fall, and that that ruin'd me. 

Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition: 

By that sin fell the angels; how can man, then. 

The image of his Maker, hope to win by't? 

Love thyself last; cherish those hearts that hate thee: 

Corruption wins not more than honesty. 

Still in thy right hand carry gentle peace, 

To silence envious tongues. Be just, and fear not: 

Let all the ends thou aim'st at be thy country's. 

Thy God's, and truth's: then if thou fall'st, O Cromwell, 

Thou fall'st a blessed martyr! Serve the King; 

And — Pr'ythee, lead me in: 

There take an inventory of all I have, 

To the last penny; 'tis the King's: my robe. 

And my integrity to Heaven, is all 

I dare now call mine own. O Cromwell, Cromwell! 

Had I but served my God with half the zeal 

I serv'd my King, He would not in mine age 

Have left me naked to mine enemies. 

CROM. Good sir, have patience. 

WOL. So I have. Farewell 

The hopes of Court! my hopes in Heaven do dwell." 

(Exeunt.) 

I have given this well known quotation to show how 
a knowledge of Bacon's life adds to the interest of the 
Shakespeare plays. 

Bacon had hung "on princes' favors;" he had been 
ambitious; and, as we shall see further on, had longed to 
be recognized as of royal birth. We find many hints which 
show this. At the time of his wedding he was dressed in 
"royal purple from head to foot." He was dressed in royal 
purple again when made Lord Chancellor, and was sur- 
rounded by all the "Vain pomp and glory of this world." 
He had experienced everything given in this scene, and still 
could say, "Be just, and fear not," "Corruption wins not 
more than honesty." 

You remember about Bacon's death. He was riding in 
his coach and, as usual, thinking of something which 
might benefit mankind. He noticed the fresh snow, and 
tho't it a good time to tiy the experiment, to prove that cold 
would preserve meat, especially fowl. He stopped at the 
nearest provision shop, bought a hen, went into the fresh 
snow and stuffed the fowl witli snow. (This was the be- 
ginning of our cold storage. Very few realize how many 
of our commonest comforts were given us by Francis 
Bacon.) He had never been strong, was much broken by 
hard work aud still more by the worries of the positions he 

14 



had held. He was soon taken with a chill, and was too 
ill to be driven to his home, so stopped at the house of his 
friend. Lord Arundel. He was given a guest's room, which 
had not been occupied for a long time. The room was cold 
and the sheets damp. He grew worse rapidly, but did 
write or dictate a cheerful letter, in which the last words 
were, "The experiment was a success." 

He died in a few days, was buried in the church at 
Saint Albans, and his old friend, Meautys erected over his 
grave a monument, his statue sitting. Not less than thirty- 
two poems were written lamenting his death. 

His will is long and full of careful details, but I must 
quote a little from it. The second paragraph begins: "For 
my name and memory, I leave it to men's charitable 
speeches, and to foreign nations, and the next ages. But 
as to that durable part of my memory, which consisteth 
in my works and writings, I desire my executors," etc. 
* * * Further on he makes the request: "Presently 
after my decease, let them take into their hands all ray 
papers whatsoever, which are either in cabinets, boxes or 
presses and seal them up until they may, at their leisure 
peruse them." 

He speaks of his wife, his servants, his friends, and 
the ' ' poor of the parishes where I have at any time rested in 
my pilgTimage," remembering all. Much search has been 
made for these manuscripts. Some were taken to Holland 
for publication, but there is still mystery about many of 

them. 

In Elizabeth's time and for years after, ciphers were 
very commonly used. It is said that the keys to sixty 
ciphers were found among Mary, Queen of Scot's possess- 
ons after her death. Francis Bacon, in his "Advancement 
of Learning," speaks of six ciphers. 

Let us look now at the cipher story and Mrs. Gallup 's 
work. 

Mrs. Elizabeth Wells Gallup was for many years a 
teacher. She assisted Dr. Owen in his word cipher work, 
and thus became interested in Bacon. She studied his works 
and was especially interested in his chapter on cipher in 
"De Augmentis," coming to the conclusion that he would 
not have given so much space to an explanation of cipher 
had he not intended to use it himself. She noticed that his 
examples were all given in italic letters and, after gaining 
access to original editions, found that a bi-forraed alphabet 
is used in all italicized words. Applying Bacon's rules, 

15 



she classified these letters and found his story. She worked 
for about twenty years, deciphering sixty-one books which 
had been published between 1579 and 1671. 

Mrs. Gallup 's book, ''Francis Bacon's Biliteral Cipher" 
cannot fail to interest anyone. She and her sister, Miss Kate 
Wells, are now living in Geneva, 111., and Colonel Fabj^an, 
a wealthy gentleman, is assisting them in every way to go 
on with their work, and will publish whatever they decij^her. 

I know of no one who has made any money out of 
Baconian research or writing. Several wealthy men, like 
Sii' Edwin Duming-Lawrence have been willing to use their 
fortunes, either in publishing their own books and present- 
ing them to libraries and interested people, as Sir Edwin 
did, or have paid for the publication of the works of talent- 
ed and industrious people, who lacked money to publisli 
their own writings. Mr. Dawbarn, the author of 
"Uncrowned," says: "Had Mrs. Gallup invented her 
story, she would surely have written of the Actor Shakes- 
pere; then her book would have been in every library in 
the world and she would have had not only honor and re- 
nown, but wealth. As it is, having told the truth as she 
found it, she has been ridiculed, is unknown except to a few, 
and has little of this world's goods." 

I visited Mrs. Gallup about two years ago. She was 
living very modestly, spoke almost reverently of the 
"Great Philosopher," showed me how she did her work, 
and was so earnest and unassuming about it that I could 
not then, and cannot now, doul)t its genuineness. 

From the publisher's preface to Mrs. Gallup 's "Bi- 
literal Cipher" I quote, "As to the work Mrs. Gallup has 
brought forth, there has been much speculation. One of two 
alternatives is enevi table — she has deciphered it from the 
labors of Francis Bacon, or it is the creation of her own im- 
agination; there is no middle ground. In any case, she must 
be credited with indomitable patience and persistency; with 
marvelous industry and zeal. If she has invented the story, 
she must possess a transcendent imagination and a genius 
of the first order approaching the creative powers of Bacon 
himself." 

Mrs. Gallup closes the first chapter of her second vol- 
ume thus: "That the cipher message is enclosed in the 
books I have deciphered I hnow from years of hard and 
exhaustive study. There is no more doubt of the existence 
of the cipher than there is of the Morse alphabet and its use 
at the present day. The study has been of thousands of 

16 



pages; comparison and classification of hundreds of thou- 
sands of italic letters, and 1 have the right to claim and 
insist that 1 know." 

In the cipher Mrs. Gallup found Bacon's diarj^ the 
hidden story wliich ho dared not disclose during his life- 
time, or he would have lost Lis head as his brother Essex 
did. He tells that he was the son of Queen Elizabeth and 
Kobert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, who were secretly mar- 
ried in the Tower when each was about twenty-one years old. 
As Leicester forced a monk to marry them and there were 
no witnesses, a second ceremony was later performed with 
witnesses, in the home of the Earl of Pembroke, after Amy 
Robsart had been put out of the way in the most cruel 
manner. (Corroboration of this may be found in the Dic- 
tionary of National Biography, Vol. 16, P. 114 under the 
heading Dudley.) Further it appears that Robert Dever- 
eaux. Earl of Essex, was the second son of this marriage, 
born six years later, and that there is no registry of his 
birth in the register of the Essex family, though the birth 
of all his supposed brothers and sisters is carefully regis- 
tered. Before the birth of this second son, the Queen had 
the report given out< that she had smallpox, though she 
w^as about the only person of her time who had no pock 
marks. 

When Francis was born, Lady Anne Bacon was a lady 
in waiting. Elizabeth cried, '*kill, kill," but Lady Anne 
begged the Queen saying, ''Give him to me, I will care for 
him." The Queen required her to take an oath that she 
would not reveal his origin. Lady Anne was at this time 
herself expecting the birth of a child, but as it was born 
dead, it was easy for her to keep the secret of the adopted 
son. 

When Bacon was about sixteen, he learned the secret 
of his parentage through a young lady of court, who men- 
tioned the fact in his hearing. Elizabeth became exceeding- 
ly angry and said, ''You are my own son, but you, though 
truly royal, of a fresh and masterly spirit shall rule nor 
England nor your mother, nor rei.gn o'er subjects yet to 
be." From tliis Francis feared he was an illegitimate son, 
and in great distress went to Lady Anne, who then told 
him the true story of his birth. 

In a short time Francis was sent to France to be gotten 
out of the way, and while there he fell desperately in love 
with Margaret De Valois, and hoped she might become di- 
vorced from Henry of Navarre, for whom she cared nothing, 

17 



aiid marry him. Elizabeth did not approve of this and re- 
called him to England. (In "Borneo and Juliet" and in 
"Troilus and Cresseda" we find this love story of Francis 
and Margaret.) 

Robert Cecil, Lord Burleigh, was Bacon's constant 
enemy, who always assured the Queen that her eldest son 
had but one object in life — to drive his mother from the 
throne. Francis believed that Elizabeth would have recog- 
nized him and his younger brother had it not been for Bur- 
leigh's influence. 

It must be remembered that Elizabeth had to combat 
the question of her own legitimacy and Francis would have 
had to do the same. You remember how she delayed in 
naming James I her successor. Had she then acknowledged 
Francis' right to the throne, she would have given the lie 
to her whole life and re-opened the question of responsi- 
bility for the death of her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots, her 
son Robert, Earl of Essex, her husband's first wife, poor 
Amy, and probably of Leicester, also. Was this not enough 
to appal a weak old woman, as was the Queen at this time? 

Besides this personal history, Bacon tells in his cipher 
story that he used the names of Spencer, Greene, Peele, 
Marlowe, Burton and Shakespeare for his writings. These 
men undoubtedly assisted Bacon and were probably among 
the "good pens" above mentioned. Look carefully for any- 
thing definite about the life of any of these men; it is very 
difficult to find. In one place in the cipher Bacon writes 
that he was able to produce more witty plays after he had 
the actor Shakespere, who w^as evidently a sort of Falstaff. 

"With Bacon's knowledge of his parentage, as well as 
from his position as lawyer, member of Parliament and 
courtier, not to mention the higher positions he later occu- 
pied, he could not allow himself to be known as a drama- 
tist, as the standing of actors and playwrights was at that 
time of the Yerj lowest. Besides, there was much in the 
plays which depicted the history and scandals of the times, 
so it would have been dangerous to own their authorship. 
You remember that Shakespere left London in 1597. His 
supposed authorship of the plays Avas probably the reason 
for his flight from London. 

Bacon intrusted the carrying on of the cipher and the 
revelation of his story at the proper time to Doctor Rawley, 
his devoted friend, secretary and chaplain, and to Ben 
Jonson. Both these men had assisted him in the prepara- 
tion of the 1623 Folio, and much of his other work. Doctor 

18 



Rawley states, in ciplier, that lie intended to disclose the 
authorship of the plays, but if you think a moment of the 
liistory of the times you will easily understand why he post- 
l)oned so doing. 

The constantly increasing evils during James I's reign 
and many of the troubles which led to Bacon's fall, con- 
tinued to increase, till they brought on the uprising which 
caused Charles I to be beheaded. In Cromwell's time the 
Puritans allowed no plays to be given. When Charles II 
and James II returned from France, they cared only for 
light French dramas. 

Dr. Rawley died about 1670, without making the dis- 
closure. Ben Jonson, who also knew the secret, was dead, 
and it was years before the Shakespeare plays were again 
produced. When they did return to favor, people natur- 
ally accepted the Shakespeare name and dummy picture of 
the Folio Edition, as genuine. 

Do not forget that Francis Bacon was really Prince of 
Wales, and should have been Francis I, King of England. 
For years he cherished the hope that his right to the throne 
might be recognized and felt that he had the ability to 
become a good king. It was no light matter to give up this 
wish, though we can realize that the work he did was far 
greater than any he could have perfonned as king. 

In order to show how Bacon's ability was recognized, 
I quote a few paragraphs, written by men who knew him 
well. 

Doctor Rawley says of him: *'I have been induced to 
think that if there were a beam of knowledge derived from 
God upon any man in these modern times, it was upon him, 
for though he was a great reader of books, yet he had not 
his knowledge from books, but from some grounds and no- 
tions within himself." 

Ben Jonson wrote: "My conceit of his person was never 
increased toward him by his place or honors, but I have and 
do reverence him for the greatness that was only proper to 
himself, in that he seemed ever by his works one of the 
greatest men and most worthy of admiration that have been 
in many ages. In his adversity I prayed that God would 
give him strength, for greatness he could not want; neither 
could I condole in word or syllable for liim, as knowing no 
accident could do harm to virtue, but rather help to make 
it manifest." 

In the 1640 Edition of Bacon 's ' ' Advan^'oment of Learn- 
ing," the publisher uses this sentence in his long preface: 

19 



''The autlior is Sir Francis Bacon, a name well known in 
the European world, a learned man, happily the learnedest 
that ever lived since the decay of the Grecian and Roman 
Empires, when learning was at a high pitch." There are 
several testimonials at the beginning of this book. I quote 
a few sentences from Frenchmen of note. One writes: 
a* * * g-j, prancis Bacon, by many degrees off holds 
the first rank, both for the vivacity of his spirit, eminency 
of his learning and elegancy of his style." Another: 
"ffudgment and memory never met in any man in that 
height and measure that they met in him * * * \)^^j^ jje 
ever valued himself rather born for other men than him- 
self." And Sir Tobie Matthew writes: "I have known a 
great number whom I much value, many whom I admire, 
but none who has so astonished me, and as it were, ravished 
my senses, to see so many and so great parts, which in 
other men were wont to be incompatible, united, and that 
in an eminent degree, in one sole person." 
A letter of his reads thus: 

''Most Honored Lord: 

"I have received your great and noble token* and favor 
of the 9th of April, and can but return the humblest of my 
thanks for your lordship's vouchsafing so to visit this poor- 
est and unworthiest of your servants. It doth me good at 
heart, that, although I be not where I was in place, yet, T 
am in the fortune of your lordship's favor, if T inay call 
that fortune, which I observe to be so unchangeable. I pray 
hard that it may once come in my power to serve you for it; 
and who can tell, but that * * * so strange desires may 
do as much ? 

"Sure I am that mine are ever waiting on your lord- 
ship; and wishing as much happiness as is due jowt in- 
comparable virtue, I humbly do your lordship reverence. 

"Your Lordship's most obliged, and humblest servant, 

"Tobie Matthew. 

"P. S. — The most prodigious wit, that ever I knew of 
my nation and of this side of the sea, is of your lordship's 
name, though he he linoivn hy anoiher.''^ 

The Latin Edition of the " xidvancement of Learning" 
was published in 1623. In the same year, as I have already 
stated, the Folio Edition of the plays appeared. Bacon pre- 
sented a copy of the former to the University of Oxford, 

•Probably a copy of the 1623 Folio 

20 



and I am inclined to think lie also presented a copy of the 
Folio, with the request that his authorship should not be 
made known. I quote the letter of thanks he received to 
see if you do not agree with me: 

"Most Noble and Most Learned Viscount: 

''Your honor could have given nothing more agreeable 
and the University could have received nothing more ac- 
ceptable than the Sciences. And those Sciences which she 
formerly sent forth poor, of low stature, unpolished, she 
hath received elegant, tall, and by the supplies of your wit 
(by which alone they could have been advanced) most rich 
in dowry. She esteemeth it an extraordinary favor to have 
a return with usury made of that, by a stranger (if so near 
a relation may be called a stranger), which she bestowes as 
a Patrimony upon her children; and she readily acknow- 
ledgeth that though the Muses* are bom in Oxford, they 
grow elsewhere. Grown they are and under your pen, who, 
like some mighty Hercules in learning, have by your own 
hand further" advanced those pillars in the learned world 
which by the rest of that world were supposed immovable. 
''We congratulate you, you most accomplished Com- 
batant, who by your itiost diligent patronage of the virtues 
of others, have overcome other Patrons, and by your own 
writings, yourself. For by the eminent height of your 
honor you advanced only learned men: now at last (Oh, 
ravishing prodigy) you have also advanced learning itself. 
"The ample munificence of this gift lays a burthen 
upon your clients, in the receiving of which we have the 
honor; but in the enjoying of it the emolument will descend 
to late posterity. If^ therefore, we are not able of ourselves 
to return sufficient and suitable thanks, our nephews of the 
next age ought to give their assistance and pay the re- 
mainder, if not to yourself, to the honor of your name. 
Happy they, but we how much more happy, to whom you 
have pleased to do the honor of sending a letter written by 
no other than your own hand; to whom you have pleased 
to send the clearest instructions for reading (your work) 
and for concord in our studies, in the front of your book. 
As if it were a small thing for your Lordship to enrich the 
Muses out of your own stock unless you taught them also 
a method of getting wealth. Wherefore this most accurate 
pledge of your understanding has been with the most solemn 
reverence received in a full congregation, both of the Doc- 

•Is this word ever used except when referring to poetry? 

21 



tors and Masters; and that which the common vote placed 
in our public library every single person has gratefully de- 
posited in his memory. 

"Your Lordships most devoted servant, 

"The University of Oxford. 
"From our Convocation-house, 
"December 20, 1623." 

Does it not seem as though this letter and the one 
which immediately i^recedes it point strongly to Bacon's 
authorship of the plays ? 

Bacon's own words regarding his authorship I now 
quote from the Cipher story: "All that learn that I, who 
account the truth better than wicked vanity, published many 
late plays under other cognomen, will think the motive some 
distaste for the stage. In no respect is it true, yet I shall 
make known to him who can read cipher writing a motive 
stronger than this, since a man hath a greater desire to 
live than he hath to win fame, and my life had four spies 
on it by day and by night. 

"I maintain that the principal work hath been writing 
the secret history of my own life, as well as the true his- 
tory of the times, in this great cipher. 

' ' I have lost therein a present fame that I may, out of 
any doubt, recover it in my own and other lands after 
many a long year. I think some ray of that far-off golden 
morning will glimmer even into the tomb where I shall lie, 
and I shall know that wisdom led me thus to wait un- 
honored as is mete, until in the perfected time which the 
Ruler, that doth wisely shape our ends, rough hew them 
how we will, doth even now know my justification be com- 
plete. 

"Francis, Baron of Verulam." 

Francis Bacon learned to "wait unhonored," not only 
to wait, while he lived, but wait centuries after his death. 
His brother Robert, Earl of Essex, could not wait, and at- 
tempting to gain the throne, lost his life and gained noth- 
ing. His name has gone down in history as a brilliant cour- 
tier who failed in everything. 

Francis Bacon set himself a worthy task and though 
he "lost a present fame," he accomplished the task. He 
did for the English language what Martin Luther did for 
the German language, and what Ronsard and his friends, 
called the Pleiade, were doing for the French language when 

22 



Francis Bacon was in France. He made our language a 
settled language. He was the moving and directing spirit 
in that advancement of learning in England in the Six- 
teenth Century, which has been entitled the Renaissance. 
Reverently he did this work. In his Writers Prayer we find, 
''Thou, Father, who gavest the visible light as the first- 
born of Thy creatures and didst pour into man the intellect- 
ual light as the top and consummation of Thy workman- 
ship, be pleased to protect and govern this work, which com- 
ing from Thy goodness, returneth to Thy glory." 

To us his message is, "In perfect trust, to you I be- 
queath my labors. ' ' 

Francis St. Albans. 



23 



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